Touched by a Rose
by Amethyst Archangel
Summary: After recieving a mysterious book from his younger sister, and being involved in her cynical plan, will Wataru be able to face the wrath of the past? Chapter 3 is here!
1. Forlorn Apparition

**_Touched by a Rose_**

This is my first attempt at a SisPri fanfic. (Who would have guessed that Chikage is my favourite? ;) Please ignore my poor grammar use… I'm still working on it. ;

And as much as I'd love to use the many names the sisters call their brother by (in Japanese) I do (personally) prefer the English pet names while doing English fanfics. Why? Because it's good to keep with it's original language… Yeah (And I could be spelling their names like this; Haluka, Shilayucki, etc etc too keep with American language… But you know. xD)

Disclaimer: I do not own Sister Princess, or any of the characters in this chapter. Inlater chapters, I will be bringing in a few of my own. They're still being developed though… Sorry if they seem a bit… "Bi-polar-ish" every now and then.

_Chapter One_

_Forlorn Apparition_

The rain poured rather heavily on the soft soil of Promised Island today. Wataru Minakami stood by the window of his room, watching as people rushed back and forth, from place to place. He sighed heavily, and collapsed on his bed. "And today… We were supposed to have a picnic…" he thought aloud, turning to his side. As he faced his open door, he realized that his laptop had opened on his desk. "E-mail?" Wataru walked toward his desk, opening the screen. "...Huh?" the message was sent anonymously, only a few seconds after he turned around. "That's odd…" he opened it, and the note read "Brother darling… I have a gift for you. Come to my room. –Chikage" A rather large sweat drop formed on his forehead. "Heh heh… Go figure." He smiled, and shut the screen down. "I should have known…" Grabbing only the pendant Chikage had given him a few years ago he left, shutting his door behind him. (A/N: As most of the Sispri fans know, the pendant I had referred to is the one she had given to Wataru in the episode "Eternal… Vows". But we also see that after she decides to take it back by the end of the episode, she returns it back to him in the final episode, "Promised Island".)

****

"_Darkness…_" a voice whispered in the shadows, malevolently. Two amethyst eyes suddenly appeared from the darkness, several small candles flickering on to follow. Her features began to emerge, only giving a ghastly impression by the candlelights. "An ominous kismet… To befall on this very day." She called, her voice soft-spoken and collected. Suddenly, she heard a knock on her door. After a few seconds waiting, it opened.

"Chikage?" Wataru peeked his head in, hoping he wasn't disturbing anything. With the light coming through the open crack of the door, her body could easily be distinguished. She smiled, and motioned him to enter. Wataru nodded, closing the door behind him. "You said that you had a… Oh my gosh!" with the door shut, the 'ghastly' Chikage came out from hiding. "Y-your… Face!" She quirked a brow, and took a few seconds to think about that.

"And… Is there something wrong?"

"You're face is… "

"Is?"

"… Creepy."

"Creepy?"

She motioned her hands in the air, and the remaining candles flickered on. Wataru sighed. "Oh…" he let out a short laugh, and realized she wasn't too interested in whatever he found 'funny'. "Sorry." He sat in the chair directly across from her, slouching in his chair. She crossed her legs, and pulled a small book from her desk. She pushed the book toward him. "Take it." He stared at the rather large booklet, and picked it up.

"What is it?" Wataru asked, turning it about, flipping through the pages.

"It's a book." Chikage replied simply. Wataru shrugged. "I know… What is it about?"

"Read it." He narrowed his brow, skimming each page. "…Flowers?" She shook her head. He read on. "… I don't know… It looks like some sort of potion… remedy thing…" _No snakes, though_ he silently thought in his mind. She waited. And his attention seemed to shift to what he was going to do today. Chikage had recognized this, and approached him. Wataru, however, did not notice. When he snapped out of his thoughts, he had realized the sister was closer to him than before. He blinked. "Hey…" he spat out, pushing his chair back. She was standing right (directly) in front of him.

"Sorry… It didn't look like you were paying attention. Or were you?" She inquired, gazing down at the bewildered boy. He nodded his head. "That's good…" She opened the book to another page, and there laid a rose pressed into the book. "Do you remember the significance of this flower?" she asked, holding it to him. He was confused, but could vaguely remember something that had happened.

"Sort of…" he replied, taking the flower from her. He observed the dried plant, feeling around the rough fragile petals with his hand. "It's a bit of a blur… But I do remember." That was new for him. He barely remembered anything anymore. But this memory was almost as clear as what Shirayuki made for breakfast this morning.

Chikage smiled. "It's good that you remember some of it… And I'm glad." She had returned the rose to its page, and shut the book. She handed it back to her brother. "Until you remember… Don't return this book to me. Keep it… And when you do remember, I want you to meet me at the apple tree by the park." She bid a short farewell, and disappeared. Wataru was left dazed and confused. "Apple tree… Which park?" he wondered. "There are so many parks around here…" He remarked. _Unless… It's some sort of riddle… And she expects me to figure it out on my own?_ He laughed at the cruel remark to himself, and walked out of the room.

Later that day, the rain cleared up. Hinako ran outside excitedly, splashing in the rain puddles. She stopped, and looked toward Karen. "Can we still have our picnic with Bro bro, Karen?" Karen sighed. "I hope so… The ground is a little wet… Maybe we can go into the town today?" The other girls seemed to agree to this idea, as they walked around the premises. Wataru stood out on the porch, and nodded. "Even though the ground is wet… We could always go out for lunch…" he added to Karen's idea. Sakuya clung to his arm.

"That does sound like an idea, Dear brother." She winked at him, hoping to receive recognition back. He gave a nervous smile, and laughed along with her. She giggled, and ran off to where Mamoru and Kaho were splashing some water. Chikage stood next to a rather large puddle of water. A single petal fell into it, as she picked it up. She took a small sniff to it. "Cherry blossoms…" Wataru walked up beside her.

"Its still late summer… Before school starts, maybe we can find some blossoms and press them too." He suggested. She smiled and nodded, then walked off toward the table by the poolside. He glanced at the girl, a bit upset. "Is she avoiding me?" he questioned aloud. Then it finally came back to him. "Oh… Right… Once I remember." He picked up the petal, which had fallen from her hands. "I will remember." He encouraged himself, raising one fist into the air. Yotsuba snuck up behind him.

"Remember what, Brother dearest?" she questioned ingenuously. He jumped.

"N-nothing!" He sweat-dropped.

"Nothing is it, Brother dearest?" she regarded the bird in its cage beside the small pool. "What do you think, Mr. Watson?" The bird just dipped its beak into the water, making a sort of quack sound. "Exactly as I deducted!" she ran off, spying around the manor with her magnifying glass. Wataru simply watched her, wondering what she had 'deducted'. The chipper girl returned only seconds later with several objects stuffed in her pockets. "I've gathered together many clues to add up with my deductions!" she cheered happily. But the sudden eagerness began to cease. "But now… I have more mysteries to check out…" A moment of sudden silence was soon followed by an outburst of giggles. "I'd best be off to work! I'll 'check' you out, Brother dearest!" she winked, and trailed off to the Welcome House. He watched as the cheery girl went off to work. _Wonder what she's up to…_ he thought silently to himself. But laughed it all off. "Nah…"

****

Around five that evening, the girls began to finish their daily house chores. Wataru dragged on through the halls, a piece of toilet paper stuck to his shoe. "Usually, I do a better job than that… But I just feel weird today…" he shrugged, looking down just to realize his little 'tagalong' friend. He scowled, tearing it off. "And now here I am… A lazy, no good adolescent with nothing else to do…" he leaned against a wall to catch his breath.

"Oh… I don't think it was that hard! You did a very nice job, Brother." Wataru turned around to see Kaho, her usual blissful self. He smiled. "And I saw how you rearranged the garden. I liked that too." He complimented back. She blushed. "Oh no… I just arrange them the same way I always do!" He searched his mind for a better compliment. _If she arranges the garden the same way every week, I must be losing it…_He thought. Had he actually not noticed this for the past 4 months? Kaho smiled meekly. "It's nothing really… I enjoy the way I put out the pots! It's fun!" Wataru was happy for her. She always seemed to be sanguine. How did she do it? _Wish I was always like that…_ Joking around in his head, it took him several moments to realize she had left.

As soon as he reached his room, he noticed just outside his window perched a white dove: a rather peculiar one, at that. "Weird…" Looking closer, he realized the dove's eyes were pale red. He felt a shiver down his spine and backed away slowly. "I wonder… Maybe… Chikage sent that one to watch out for me?" he assumed. Re-entering the room, Wataru sat down at his desk and pulled the small book from the drawer. But there was something different. Something missing. "Hmm?" he placed the book to rest on the palm of his hand, and lifted it. "It's… lighter?" Several pages seemed to be taken out… But there was more. "Taken out… But no tear marks… No tears whatsoever! No extra spaces… Nothing…" he was shaken by this, especially since the dove had instantly disappeared. He rubbed his head with the back of his hand.

"It can't be true…" then he began to laugh. "No way… Can't… Be… True… It's all in your head, Minakami…" Then it began to rain again, except there were no clouds in the sky. And it all seemed to come from one location to the next. He peered out the window, just noticing Marie had been walking Michael around the yard… But what's this? No umbrella? And most of all, she wasn't wet! Nothing was wet. Just his window… But no one else seemed to notice. It seemed to be raining all over the place, but nothing was drenched, not even the slightest bit.

"Maybe… I am hallucinating…" he hoped, and took the book from his desk once again. But this time, it was heavier. As he flipped through the pages, several cherry blossom petals and leaves fell from the book. And the last page to be left open began to open into a portal of some sort. His eyes widened as he realized his hand was being sucked in. "It… Can't be true!" The book seemed to get larger and larger, each second it grasp onto his very soul. "What kind of trick is this!" _What am I saying? This book is Chikage's…_ He began to make the assumption that Chikage _is_ the Bermuda Triangle of the human race. Just as he felt his body being overtaken by darkness, he caught a glimpse of a strange girl in his doorway. She held out her hand. "_Don't be afraid… The darkness has come to save you from eternal despair_." She smiled, her eyes growing bright red. He gasped out what seemed to be his last breath of air "It… Can't… Be… TRUE!"

_End of Chapter 1_

I'm not sure if this is your idea of a short chapter… But it's unquestionably not a long one; I know that as a matter of fact…

I'll try to update soon I hope you enjoyed it so far. R&R please! Arigatou gozaimasu minna-san


	2. The Garden Firestorm

_Chapter two is up I'm not as busy now, since school had been out. So this gives me something to do. : )_

_Chapter II _

_The Garden Firestorm_

Moments passed after Wataru had awoken from his loss of consciousness. He sat up, only to be startled by some sort of spark. He stumbled back, as it began to fly away. "What… the-" he found himself surrounded by many fireflies. They and the moon were apparently the only things keeping the life within the mysterious area alive.

His eyes wandered back and forth, just about meeting with Chikage's. She smiled. "It's good to see… You have arrived." Wataru stood, and brushed himself off. The younger sister walked slowly toward him, making sure there were no faults in her plan so far. Also to be sure he wasn't hurt (As if that's a second priority.) His dark brown eyes had met up with her astonishing amethyst eyes once again; suddenly taking notice to the fact that there was something missing. She tilted her head. "Is something wrong?"

"Oh… Nothing…" He searched his pockets, reaching one hand in at a time. "Where is it…?" Chikage remained tranquil, and waited patiently. As a matter of fact, Wataru wasn't _exactly_ searching for something. But instead with all this 'pocket-searching' wasting time, he had to gather his thoughts. _Those eyes… They look soulless… There's… Something… _He spread out his thoughts on an imaginary map so he could think straight. But before he could think of anything, a warm hand touched his cheek. He jumped at the sudden gesture, allowing it to continue.

"You think… I'm desolate?" she questioned the delirious boy. He shook his head. "Well… If there's anything perplexing you… I have something which might help." She began to walk off, motioning him to follow. He nodded, and did as he was told.

****

They had reached, several minutes later, a lush green boulevard. Wataru's eyes wandered the entire location. "This is… I mean… It's…"

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" the younger one smiled, finishing off his sentence. He returned the smile, although he remained a little nervous about this 'helpful-something' she spoke of. _She doesn't ACTUALLY know what it is I'm thinking about… Does she?_ He gulped at that last thought. "Nah… It's all just me…"

"What is 'just you', Brother darling?" she asked curiously. In fact, she knew exactly what he was thinking about. But decided 'it would ruin the fun' to blow that last statement off. He grinned nervously.

"Nothing!"

"Nothing? Nothing at all?"

"Of course not! Just thinking aloud… That's all…"

"So there _is _something bothering you?

"That's not what I meant, eith-"

"Then what _did_ you mean?" She smiled. He gave up. There was no way to win this war… Especially since he knew he stood no chance against his erratic sister.

"…Never mind…" He finished, walking before her. She watched him for a while, staying where she was.

"… And you think you know where you're going now?" She questioned in a 'no-duh' sort of way. He paused. Then backtracked his way to her.

"You might as well put me on a leash… Who knows what I'll do next…" he regarded sarcastically, as if to make a joke. But she shook her head.

"I don't have any to spare anyways…" She began to walk off, her hair whipping softly against his cheek. A large sweat-drop formed against his head. And he followed behind her.

Minutes went by, and soon turned to hours. Wataru was befuddled, and tired. "Don't tell me after all this time… You don't even know where you're going." He mused, hoping to prove her wrong.

"What? You think that I would make this garden a simple warren? I don't think so…" She retorted, keeping her pace. He stopped, and began to mock her.

"At least I don't act like I know everything…"

"Who said I acted as if I knew everything?"

"… Stop replying to me." He became aggravated. "What kind of lame trick is this, anyways?" He asked her, a sudden change of mood catching her attention.

"Don't get so quarrelsome. You'll find out soon why I brought you here…" She continued on, somewhat hurt by his rude remarks. He sighed.

"I'm sorry… This is just a little irritating, y'know?" he goofed. She ignored that last part. _I guess she's taking this seriously… _He thought to himself.

They had finally arrived to the designated location, after what seemed like years of walking. About 2/3 of the trip was spent with no talking whatsoever. The dead silence was uncomforting, especially since Wataru could not tell if Chikage was still upset with him. He caught up with her just before they reached a flat silver platform. He put his hands on her shoulders. "Are you okay? I'm sorry for being a jerk earlier. I was just…"

"Determined to find out what it is I plan to unveil to you. Is that right?" she asked, her voice still composed. He slowly nodded, as he just began to realize that things would reach the turn point from here. She smiled. "I'm glad… Now, I can show you…" She removed her black jacket; fragile black swallowtail butterflies perched along her white dress. At an instant, they flew into the darkness, in which seemed to be a fixed pattern. A glowing blue light arose from the silver pillar, as it split into 4 parts. Chikage walked slowly into the center of the four parted columns. She raised her right hand before a soft white light. In the light, a white dove with a feathered crest appeared. It had mystic blue eyes, and angel white feathers. With her left hand, she revealed over a darkened light a dove similar to the other, only black with blood red eyes. She held them both out, each perched on either shoulder. The white one took flight over to Wataru's hand.

He stared at the bird for several seconds, then back to Chikage. "What is… this for?" he asked. He was still as confused as ever, but paused so she could speak.

"The bird of the white sun… Shiiro. It will help you along your quest to discover our past together…" she held the black bird in her hand, stroking its head feathers. "As long as we have these two birds… We will be closer than ever, Brother darling… And I hope… You feel the same." She smiled, as the scenery began to fall apart. "I'll be waiting for you… On the other side…"

He held his hand, to try and grab hers. "Wait! What do you-…!"

Silence… And then more darkness. All he could remember now was her final words. _"On the other side…" _

****

He fell into a deep sleep, very soon waking up in his room. _On the other side… What does it mean?_ He rubbed the back of his head, staring down at the sheet covers. "Just… as dream?" Only a moment after he woke, a tapping rapped outside his window. His eyes glanced over, hoping it wasn't that freaky red-eyed dove again. But instead, it was the white dove from his 'dream'. "Hey…" He stood, and walked toward the window, opening it. The small bird perched onto his finger, holding a note tied to it's back. Wataru opened the envelope, and inside was a rose petal with a note.

_Brother Darling,_

_I regret dragging you into this… situation. However I hope that all can be forgiven. I assure you the end result will make this worth your time. Or at least, I hope so. I love you._

_Regards,_

_Chikage_

He smiled, and put the note in the small book. It was now back to normal, all the pages returned; no surprise 'petal' attacks. No portals, spirits, demons, snakes… All was fine. "I just wonder… What it is that she wants to let me know… Without physically telling me…" He wondered, the small white bird sleeping in the palm of his hand. His train of thought was disrupted by the voice of his younger sister, Karen.

"Big brother! It's time for dinner!"

His eyes shot open, as he darted for the door. "I'm coming!" The white bird woke as well, perching onto his shoulder. However Wataru was unaware that Chikage watched from outside his window on the clock tower. She smiled. "Only time can tell… And you will soon learn why it is… We are all together…"

_**End of chapter II**_

_It's shorter than I planned, sorry. I'll work on lengthening it too.: ) R & R please_


	3. Between the Two of Us

_Sorry it took so long for Chapter 3. My computer wouldn't allow me to log in… ; Hopefully that gets fixed soon. Well, here you go :D_

_Chapter III _

_Between the Two of Us_

Wataru rushed downstairs, the small white dove perched on his shoulder. "Karen." He smiled. Then sniffed the air. "Mmm… What's for breakfast?" Karen shook her head.

"I don't know… But I'm sure it will be delicious!" she replied with enthusiasm. Wataru was happy. He had almost forgotten about the recent events that have taken place. As they walked into the dining room, he noticed everyone had sat down already. Karen had taken her seat next to Hinako, and Wataru next to Haruka. Looking to his left, he noticed Chikage. _She seems to be normal enough… _He thought silently, looking down at his plate; Pancakes with a peculiar sauce.

Shirayuki smiled. "Tell me how you like it, Elder brother! It's made with Princess's special herbal tealeaves, and sweet, sweet, sweet maple syrup!" she clasped her hands excitedly as he took in a small amount.

He smiled at her. "Very delicious!" She giggled, and dashed off back to her seat. The other girls ate their dishes, each bite seeming sweeter and sweeter. Aria snuck behind Wataru, poking at the white bird.

"A bird… How cute," she said, in her usual quiet slow tone. He was surprised he hadn't noticed her, and also looked at the bird. _Wow… I'd almost forgot it was there…_he thought. The bird cocked its head, chirping. The girls watched the small bird. Shirayuki snapped her fingers.

"I can make a special meal for your friend, Elder brother!" she recommended, and ran for the kitchen. Sakuya walked over, and pet it's head.

"It's a cutie… Where did you find him, Dear brother?" He shook his head.

"It's a girl. And I met her in a-" he felt the temperature drop. Then turned to Chikage. She smiled_ 'If you don't mind… I'd prefer if this just remain between you and me.' _She telepathically told him. He understood, though still did not know the significance of the bird. "She was just by my window. Looked sort of lonely, you know?" Sakuya smiled, and pinched his cheek.

"You're so sweet, Dear brother, but… How do you know that it's a girl?" she asked, somewhat curious. "Are you going to be a zoologist, Dear brother?" she joked. He sweated.

"C-course not!" he wondered how to answer. Suddenly, an idea sprung out in his mind. "I took the bird to Chikage, and she… well, knew… You know?" Sakuya found his stuttering amusing.

"That makes sense." She was still onto his little ruse. "But I'm watching you, Dear brother…" she jeered. "I promised to take Hina, and Aria to the park… Want to come?"

"Actually, I'm going to clean up a little." Wataru replied, traumatized by her shrewdness. She shook her head, as Aria and Hina ran up to her. They headed for the entrance, and shut the door behind them. The others had gone into the kitchen with Shirayuki to help with this 'special meal'. Marie, and Haruka were in the living room sorting through books, and Kaho outside watering the flowers with Karen. Wataru sighed, and slumped down in his chair. "That was too close for comfort."

"Brother darling…" Chikage put her hands on his shoulders. He jumped, surprisingly high for himself. Landing almost perfectly back in the chair, he shifted his gaze to her. The white and black bird shared her right shoulder, seeming to chirp with amusement.

"You scared me." He grumbled at her.

"I know." She sat down beside him, resting her chin on the palm of her left hand. "That was pretty clever of you." He quirked a brow, wondering what she meant.

"What was? You mean that LIE I told Sakuya to keep our SECRET safe from anyone KNOWING?" he inquired. She chuckled.

"They will know soon. But until then, I prefer you keep quiet about it… Unless you want to ruin the soon-to-be future for all of us." She implied.

"Soon-to-be future for all of us? Is that a threat?" he asked.

"You know I would never threaten anyone…"

"Then what _did_ you mean? Something _bad _will happen if I do say _anything_? What if I don't? Will your little hoax be in perfect tact? Are you trying to _use_ me? What have I ever done to you? Why-"

"You ask too many questions." She interrupted. Standing from her seat, she began to walk back to her room. The white bird then flew from her shoulder to Wataru's. It sang happily, nuzzling its head on his cheekbone. She then paused. "As for those questions, I would never put our family in danger. Yes, perhaps. If you don't, that's fine. Hoax? No, nothing, and… You never finished. But if my assumption to what you were going to ask is correct, I'd say why not?" she then continued to walk. "Remember what I asked of you before? The apple tree in the park… Meet me there when you're done." She left.

He couldn't follow with what just happened, his left eye beginning to twitch. "Why not? WHY WOULD YOU?" he yelled, startling Karen behind him. He noticed her, and turned all the way around. "Sorry… Chikage was just-" She smiled.

"Are you talking to invisible people, Big brother?" she asked. He blinked.

"I'm hallucinating…"

"Sounded more like you were arguing with yourself, Bud." Mami scorned.

"Or maybe Brother dearest was having a meltdown! Another thing for Yotsu-chan to check out!" she ran for RinRin's lab. She seemed to be asking for an ultra high-powered investigation kit. Haruka came in hearing the commotion.

"Is Beloved brother all right?" she sounded worried, her strong German accent obvious in her tone. Though she had practiced more on her Japanese.

"I'm fine, don't worry!" he assured them all. Shirayuki burst through the doors, with a large pot of 'something' in her hands.

"I have it, Elder brother! Princess's special sunflower seed a la mode, with warm buttermilk on the side!" the white bird stopped scratching it's wing, and looked at the pot. The glittering sauce mesmerized her eyes, as she flew over. But the edge of the pot seemed to burn her feet, as she fluttered above it. Mamoru ran in with a glass plate. She set it on the ground, as Shirayuki poured in the recipe.

"Awesome job, Shirayuki! I think she likes it!" Mamoru complimented, crossing her arms together. Shirayuki smiled, watching the small bird eat happily. Wataru was also impressed. Then remembered that he had to meet Chikage in the park.

"That's right…" he grabbed his jacket. "Hey, I'll be back in a little while." He stroked the white bird's head with his finger. "Can you girls watch over her for me? Don't over feed her." He smiled, as they all seemed quite excited with the idea. He nodded, and headed out the door.

Shutting the main door behind him, he noticed Chikage's black bird perched along the fence. He blinked at it, and smiled. "Are you going to help me find this 'apple tree' she spoke of?" she bird swooped down, and picked something from his head. "OUCH!" He fell backwards onto the grass. The bird watched, as it flew off to the north. He rubbed his head, and noticed there was more to that pluck than he had intended. "What…" A red rose petal fell from his head. "She's trying to turn me into a flower?" he laughed, satisfied by his own joke. But soon realized it wasn't that funny.

"Well…" he stood. "I guess I'll follow it." He ran close behind, soon losing track of the bird under a canopy of trees. "Great…" Just before turning around for another direction, he noticed a large tree in the distance. The bird flew to that tree. "I didn't even know there was an apple tree on Promised Island."

He walked toward the hill with the tree, seeing Chikage sitting underneath it. She caught a glimpse of him, and smiled. _You're only so close to the truth, yet so far. There is still so much for you to learn, Brother darling…_

_And sometimes, change isn't always for the better… I hope you've come prepared._

_End of Chapter 3_

_Thank you for the reviews! _

_Buckethead 2112- Thanks. I decided I'd try a new poem for Sispri. The other one, as you said, didn't have much relevance. Heh heh… I'll work on it. ;D_

_Aura- Thanks! Harry Potter/Sispri Xover? Hmm… /Interesting…Sounds tempting… xD Though I don't know much about Harry Potter. (Course I know what it's about and all, just never really got into the books.) Oh, and you're welcome. _

_Working on Chapter IV! Will update soon!_


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